The most successful stretch of Amherst's season came from Sept. 25-29, as the Jeffs went on a three-game winning streak at home. Two of the wins came against NESCAC opponents Tufts University and Bates College.
In one of the most exciting games of the year, the Jeffs beat the Jumbos in overtime, 2-1, on Sept. 25. Midfielder Rachel Carr-Harris '07 and forward Katherine Skrivan '06 paired up for both the game-tying goal and the game winner. During regulation, Carr-Harris scored off a feed from Skrivan. Carr-Harris returned the favor as Skrivan found the back of the cage in the team's first overtime session of the season.
The next day, Amherst came up big with a season-high four goals in a shutout victory over Bates. Senior forward Erin Leydon found the cage twice, while forward Lauren Anderson '05 and midfielder Carolyn Shea '08 knotted a goal apiece.
The third game of Amherst's win streak came on Sept. 29. Leydon remained hot as she lifted Amherst over foe Mount Holyoke College with a hat trick to get the Jeffs a 3-0 win. Unfortunately, the team hit a rough patch just days later, going on a five-game slide midway through the season. The Jeffs suffered as they moved from grass play to turf and then back to grass, having to change their style from day to day. The bright play in the spate of losses came from senior goalie KC Cosentino, who collected 42 saves over five games, including 19 in a 1-0 heartbreaking loss to Colby College on Oct. 16.
The game that perhaps epitomized Amherst's season came on Oct. 23 against Wesleyan University, as the Jeffs fell three goals behind early in the second half before battling back to pull the score within one goal with just over 14 minutes left to play. The Jeffs continued to attack the Cardinal goal but could not connect, and Wesleyan scored in the final minute to put the game firmly out of reach. Coming up just short seemed to be a theme for the Jeffs all season long.
The next day Amherst defeated Connecticut College, 1-0, in an overtime victory that gave the Jeffs a chance to qualify for postseason play. Carr-Harris assisted Skrivan for the winning goal.
"Skrivan and Rachel Carr-Harris work very well together in overtime," said Head Coach Carol Knerr. "They stepped up when the pressure was on with Skrivan scoring both of the game winning OT goals and Rachel assisting both goals."
Carr-Harris finished the year with three goals and 13 assists (ranking her sixth in NESCAC assists per game). "We proved that we weren't a team that was going to give up," she said. "At the end of the season we had some very key games and we worked hard even though it didn't always go our way."
The team appeared to have brought it all together in their final regular-season game against Williams College, a game Amherst needed to win to advance to postseason play.
The Jeffs dominated a scoreless first half, led by the play of senior co-captain defender Alicia Pichard, who kept the ball off Williams' sticks with strong free hits and denial defense. The Jeffs took the lead within the first seven minutes of the second half as Carr-Harris found the back of the net to tally her third goal of the season. Williams tied the game up six minutes later and the rest of the half was scoreless.
In overtime, Amherst continued its solid passing and pounded the William's defense for the opening minutes. In the last minutes of the overtime, however, Eph Susan Shea notched the game winner to end Amherst's season. To make the loss all the more difficult for the Jeffs, Shea's twin sister is Amherst rookie defender Carolyn Shea.
"It was disappointing not to make the tournament," said co-captain defender Emma Feinstein. "But at the same time, in terms our level of play, the game we ended on was our best game all season. We improved as a team throughout the season and never gave up, even in the face of a number of losses in a row. I'm very proud of all my teammates for sticking together until the end."
Sophomore defender Maggie Roth discussed the team's emotions. "We gave everything we had and gave the NESCAC champs an amazing game," she said. "It shows that we are a team of not only skill, but heart." Williams beat Middlebury College in the NESCAC Championship game.
Skrivan led the team in points with six goals and six assists, while Leydon led in scoring with seven goals. Skrivan earned Second-Team All-NESCAC honors for her performance.
Knerr is optimistic about next season. "We have talented returnees including our leading and third-leading point scorers, Skrivan and Rachel [Carr-Harris], as well as a large first-year class who really developed throughout the season and will be ready to step into bigger roles next year," she said. She also noted the hard work the team put in this year. "[I especially] appreciated the efforts of six hard working seniors, Lauren [Anderson], KC [Cosentino], Erin [Leydon], Emma [Feinstein], Alicia [Pichard] and Tyler [Kelly]."